Grade 6 Ecole Manachaban Middle School students got a taste of what it would be like to hold public office on Tuesday morning with a “mock” council at the RancheHouse council chambers.
Two groups of Grade 6 students from Holly Vandermeer’s English class and Marie Grenon’s French class shadowed members of administration, council and the press during two back-to-back sessions debating the possible future uses of the current pool and curling club site located on Fourth Avenue.
“I quite enjoyed it,” said Jack Samoleski, shadow Eagle reporter, who added that he didn’t think it would be hard at all to write a news story covering the event.
A straw poll following the two presentations from Vandermeer’s class indicated that the mock council favoured an option to turn the two facilities into a greenhouse rather than a laser tag centre.
An audience poll indicated a preference for a laser tag centre. Presentation highlights indicated such a facility would be geared toward ages seven and 70; that it shouldn’t be open early because people might not want to start playing laser too early and wouldn’t get enough sleep; a proposed monthly pass of $170 or $175 annually and discounts available for seniors; and additional revenue potential including food sales.
The total price tag?: $41,000.
The mock council preferred option of a greenhouse was all about sustainability with a lower price tag that “will probably cost between $5,000 and lowest $25,000 at the highest”.
Revenues would come from planter box rentals, purchasing seeds and gardening classes. Food would also be grown for kids in need and donated to homeless shelters.
Volunteers would work there, as well as employees who would get paid “minimum wage or about $30 an hour.”
Grenon’s French immersion class presented two options for the site: a cultural hub or a community centre.
Given the commonalities between the two proposals, “council” made a third motion in its straw poll to direct administration to conduct a feasibility study to look at including the build of both facilities on site.
“Council” voted 6-1 in favour of the motion, with lone wolf student councillor Emmeline Maillet voting against the motion.
Possibilities inclusions in the cultural hub would be the Boys and Girls Club of Cochrane and Area, an art studio, art galleries, live entertainment spaces and a new library; the anticipated price tag would be roughly $15 million and the project would look to grant money, user fees and private investors to recoup costs.
For the community centre, a cafeteria was also proposed, a live theatre, laser tag centre, music and DJ booth, kids centre, and an arcade.
The under-14 kids centre would include a variety of kids’ camps such as junior chef, scientist and art camps.
The facility would be “kind of like the boys and girls club, with less rules.”
The funds would come from arcade games and food purchases and a price tag of $13 million.
When asked by council if it was a good idea if either a cultural or community centre should compete with other Cochrane businesses the short answer was yes – that competition was healthy for business.
Councillors Morgan Nagel and Mary Lou Eckmeier were unable to attend.
